THE STORY OF FESTIVAL

Thus begin all the world's fairy tales... And some film festivals as well, if they happen to be about animated films for children. Biennial of Animation Bratislava began this way: with a fairy tale. In 1991, the display of animated films for children at the Biennial of Illustration Bratislava became a festival. From then on, a life achievement award has been presented at each festival under the name Prix Klingsor.

The writer Mária Ďuríčková (1919 - 2004) is not called "the queen of children literature" unintentionally. Her literary legacy to children is precious indeed. In the abundant collection of her original fairy tales and contemporary stories you can find "The Stool", which is one of many associated with the legends surrounding Bratislava and its vicinity. Its main character is a good magician, the globe-trotting Klingsor. When he is truly exhausted, he uses the Bratislava Castle as a place for rest. How? The Bratislava Castle resembles an inverted table. Klingsor easily turns it around, so he can use it as a stool... Hence Klingsor became the central motif of the Biennial of Animation Bratislava: he sits on an inverted castle in the form of the prize, Prix Klingsor, whose author is the artist Miroslav Cipár. It is awarded to an outstanding personality in animated film, so Klingsor is seen on the festival posters and additional materials this year as in the previous ones. Its author is visual artist, animator and director Ondrej Slivka. Prix Klingsor has been awared to eminent personalities like Emanuelle Luzzati, Giulio Gianini, Frederic Back, Co Hoedman, Břetislav Pojar, Gene Deitch and others.

Since the festival's beginning, literature walked in close union with animated film as O. Slivka commenced his production of "The Stool." It was the third episode from the „Bratislava Fairy Tales" Večerníček series, adapted from a story by M. Ďuríčková. „Bratislava Fairy Tales" became one of the most successful globe - trotting productions. And so does the travelling magician Klingsor touch down at the Biennial of Animation Bratislava. If you want to meet him, read the fairy tale by Mária Ďuríčková.